Y75C7 


Religious  forces  and  other  activities 
in  the  history  of  Vineland,  N.J. 


by 
Joseph  Alfred  Conwell. 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


RELIGIOUS    FORCES 

AND 

OTHER  ACTIVITIES 

IN    THE 

HISTORY  OF  VINELAND,   N.  J 

BV 

JOSEPH    A.  CONWELL 

(Ex- MAYOR) 


I  AM  A  CITIZEN  OF  NO  MEAN  CITY" 


AN    ADDRESS    DELIVERED    AT    THE    BOTH     ANNI. 

VERSARY  OF   THE    FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN 

CHURCH    OF    VINELAND.    N.    J. 


PUBLISHED    FOR    THE     BENEFIT    OF 
THE   NEW  CHURQH    BUILDING   FUND 

BY 

THE  SMITH    PRINTING   HOUSE 
VINELAND.    N.    J. 


THE  FIRST  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  OF  VINELAND 


REV.  JOHN  O.  WELLS 
PASTOR  FROM  1866  TO  1887 


RELIGIOUS    FORCES 

AND 

OTHER  ACTIVITIES 

IN  THE 

HISTORY  OF  VINELAND,  N.  J, 


BY 

JOSEPH    A.  CONWELL 
(EX-MAYOR) 


I  AM  A  CITIZEN  OF  NO  MEAN  CITY" 


AN    ADDRESS    DELIVERED    AT  THE    5OTH    ANNI- 
VERSARY  OF  THE    FIRST    PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH    OF  VINELAND.     N.   J. 


PUBLISHED    FOR    THE    BENEFIT    OF 
THE  NEW  CHURCH   BUILDING  FUND 


/  IS 


Artttnttos  ttt  %  Iftaionj 


Inasmuch  as  Rev.  Dr.  D.  H.  King,  our  Pastor 
Emeritus,  preached  a  historical  sermon  this  morning 
and  dwelt  more  particularly  upon  the  intimate  and 
spiritual  history  of  our  church,  I  feel  that  it  is  both 
appropriate  and  desirable  that  I,  in  what  I  shall  say  this 
evening,  broaden  the  subject  somewhat,  and  refer  not 
only  to  the  history  of  our  own  church,  but  to  the 
various  religious  and  other  forces  that  have  exerted  an 
influence  for  good  in  our  town  during  the  past  half- 
century.  While  the  subject  is  too  great  to  be  fully  dis- 
cussed in  the  time  alloted  me,  it  should  be  stated  with 
special  emphasis  that  the  history  of  a  live,  active 
church  is  inevitably  a  part  of  the  history  of  a  commu- 
nity. The  church  gives  inspiration,  encouragement 
and  genuine  vital  force  to  every  worthy  enterprise  and 
every  good  cause.  To  undertake  to  give  the  history 
of  a  church  and  of  religious  forces  in  general  in  a  com- 
munity like  Vineland,  where  the  churches  and  every- 
thing else  grew  up  together  out  of  a  wilderness,  and 
for  fifty  years  have  lived  and  labored  and  struggled  to- 
gether and  turned  that  wilderness  into  a  land  of  beauty 
and  fertile  fields  and  extensive  manufacturing  interests, 
where  intellectual  culture  and  high  moral  principles 
are  maintained,  is  a  task  calling  for  the  utmost  rever- 


516166 
UBSCTS 


ence  and  respect.  If  we  candidly  accept  the  plain, 
cold  facts  regarding  the  founding  of  Vineland,  we 
must  admit  that  it  offered  many  advantages  not  enjoy- 
ed by  older  and  differently  constructed  towns. 

THE  OPPORTUNITY   OF  A    WILDERNESS 

When  Mr.  Charles  K.  Landis  drove  the  now 
famous  stake  in  the  wilderness  on  the  8th  of  August, 
1861,  near  where  the  West  Jersey  Railroad  station  now 
stands,  he  established  not  only  a  landmark,  but  a  great 
historical  starting  point.  This  area  was  then  a  vast 
wilderness.  It  was  such  a  wilderness  that  the  conduct- 
or refused  to  stop  the  railroad  train  at  the  prospective 
city,  and  instead  put  Mr.  Landis  off  near  what  is  now 
Newfield,  forcing  him  to  walk  five  miles  to  drive  his 
fancied  city-centered  stake.  It  was  such  a  wilderness 
that  Mr.  Landis  had  to  walk  out  to  Sharp's  corner  on 
Main  road  to  get  his  dinner.  It  was  such  a  wilderness 
that  the  railroad  officials  refused  to  build  a  platform  so 
people  could  get  off  the  cars.  It  was  such  a  wilder- 
ness that  the  government  refused  to  recognize  Vineland 
as  a  post  office  until  Mr.  Landis  gave  security  for  the 
expense  incurred.  Yet  Mr.  Landis,  a  young  man  of 
twenty-eight,  had  the  faith  and  courage  and  grit  to  walk 
over  this  wilderness  for  weeks  and  months,  and  employ 
men  to  survey  and  lay  out  roads  and  avenues,  and  pull 
stumps  and  haul  dirt.  He  advertised  town  lots  and 
farms  until  he  had  not  only  spent  all  of  his  own  re- 
sources, but  had  eventually  gone  in  debt  over  three 
hundred  thousand  dollars  to  improve  and  beautify 
the  prospective  enterprise. 

The  early  struggles  and  experiences  of  the  founder 
of  Vineland,  while  to  some  may  seem  like  the  work  of 
a  dreamer,  were  the  true  unfoldment  of  a  long-sighted, 
orderly,  systematic  plan.  During  the  first  winter  Mr. 
Landis  maintained  his  headquarters  out  at  Sharp's  farm 


house  on  Main  road.     And  let  me  quote  his  words  as 
found  among  his  private  papers: 

"There  were  many  days  and  weeks  during 
that  long  and  tempestuous  winter  when  nobody 
came.  To  say  that  I  never  had  moments  of  de- 
pression, when  I  looked  out  of  my  window  upon 
the  boundless  stretch  of  wilderness,  would  be 
simply  untrue.  The  southeast  winds  at  night 
would  howl  around  the  corner  of  the  house  where 
I  slept,  sounding  like  wailing  voices  of  ill  omen 
and  mockery.  And  as  I  listened  to  the  dismal 
sound  of  the  wind  and  thought  of  the  possibility 
of  no  visitors,  I  would  be  struck  almost  by  an  icy 
chill.  The  greatest  relief  I  found  was  in  prayer." 

The  founder  of  Vineland  did  not  claim  to  be  a 
religious  man,  nor  was  he  so  regarded.  I  refer  to 
these  prayers  of  Mr.  Landis,  because  so  far  as  known, 
they  were  the  first  religious  worship  and  the  beginning 
of  the  religious  history  of  what  the  world  now  knows 
as  "Beautiful  Vineland." 

This  brief  outline  faintly  pictures  the  wilderness 
with  its  virgin  soil  and  the  man  with  his  ambitions  and 
motives.  His  determination  was  to  build  a  model 
community  free,  if  possible,  from  the  objections  he 
had  seen  elsewhere,  and  possessing  those  character- 
istics which  experience  had  proved  to  best  insure 
beautiful  and  healthful  surroundings  and  the  prosperity, 
happiness  and  general  well-being  of  the  people.  With 
his  life  dedicated  to  this  proposition,  he,  through  the 
public  press  and  other  methods,  and  in  the  most  wide- 
spread manner,  invited  the  world  to  come  and  make 
Vineland  a  model  community. 

And  in  all  candor  he  placed  before  prospective 
settlers  an  unusual  opportunity.  Here  was  offered 
what  we  all  more  or  less  crave— the  chance  to  begin 
afresh  and,  to  a  marked  degree,  live  life  over  again. 
To  those  of  the  north  was  offered  a  milder  climate. 
Those  in  the  crowded  cities  here  found  fresh  air  and 

-5- 


plenty  of  room.  To  those  in  ill  health  or  weary  of 
monotony  was  a  new  hope.  Here  were  good 
prospects  for  the  ambitious  and  an  equal  opportunity 
to  all.  The  proposition  appealed  to  men  and  women 
of  intellect,  energy  and  character,  and  they  came 
from  every  direction  and  were  received  with  cor- 
dial welcome.  No  matter  from  whence  it  came,  all 
blood  was  new  blood  on  reaching  the  primitive 
soil  and  inspiring  atmosphere  of  Vineland. 

EARLY   GROWTH 

While  at  the  end  of  the  first  year  there  were  only 
about  six  settlers,  yet  at  the  end  of  1862,  the  second 
year,  about  eighty  persons  attended  Mr.  Landis'  first 
annual  reception.  His  reception  at  the  end  of  the  third 
year  was  attended  by  over  one  thousand  persons.  The 
attendance  at  the  end  of  the  fourth  year  was  two 
thousand,  and  about  one  thousand  partook  of  supper. 
His  reception  at  the  end  of  the  fifth  year  was  attended 
by  more  than  three  thousand.  Two  brass  bands  fur- 
nished music  and  the  occasion  was  an  innovation  to 
South  Jersey.  At  this  time  the  population  of  the  tract 
was  fifty-five  hundred.  In  1867,  when  Vineland  was 
six  years  old,  it  was  a  community  of  about  eight 
thousand  population,  containing  churches  of  all  the 
leading  denominations,  fourteen  schcolhouses  and 
twelve  hundred  pupils.  The  Presbyterian,  Methodist 
and  Episcopal  churches  were  organized  in  '63.  The 
Baptist,  Unitarian  and  what  was  known  as  the  "Friends 
of  Progress"  later,  but  when  Vineland  was  six  years 
old  they  all  had  flourishing  congregations,  the 
audience  of  our  own  church  averaging  three  hundred 
and  fifty  persons  on  Sunday. 

Not  only  had  churches  been  organized  at  this  time, 
but  "The  Historical  and  Antiquarian  Society,"  "The 
Floral  Society"  the  various  social  and  secret  Societies 


had  been  organized  and  were  existing  much  as  they 
are  to-day.  Let  us  mention  some  of  the  things  that 
took  place  when  Vineland  was  only  six  years  old. 

The  Sabbath  schools  were  organized  and  prosper- 
ous, and  on  the  4th  of  July  of  that  year,  paraded  the 
streets  of  our  town.  The  procession  was  about  a  half- 
mile  in  length  and  seven  hundred  children  were  in  the 
parade.  They  picniced  in  the  Vineland  Park  and  Rev. 
J.  O.  Wells,  the  pastor  of  this  church,  was  one  of  the 
orators  of  the  occasion.  This  custom  of  Sunday 
Schools  uniting  in  picnics  and  excursions  continued 
for  many  years,  and  I  have  seen  a  special  train  take 
over  nine  hundred  persons  from  Vineland  to  the  sea- 
shore on  a  Union  Sunday  School  excursion. 

Up  until  that  year  this  church  had  used  a  melodion 
when  it  was  exchanged  for  a  cabinet  organ.  The 
Great  World's  Universal  Exposition  was  held  at  Paris, 
France,  and  honorable  mention  was  awarded  by  the 
Imperial  Commission  of  that  Exposition  to  Mr.  Charles 
K.  Landis  for  his  great  work  in  founding  and  promot- 
ing the  success  of  Vineland,  New  Jersey,  and  he  was 
placed  upon  record  as  one  of  the  benefactors  of  the 
world.  Professor  Marcius  Willson,  in  a  public  address 
during  the  year  1867,  declared  that  Vineland  made 
greater  progress  in  those  things  which  belong  to  ad- 
vanced civilization,  during  six  short  years,  than  all 
Cumberland  County  made  in  the  first  two  hundred 
years  of  its  existence. 

THE    PIONEER    SPIRIT 

The  resources  and  initiative  instinct  of  Vineland's 
pioneers  were  almost  without  limit.  They  had  come 
from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth.  Each  man — and 
many  women — was  a  distinct  individual.  While  not 
one  of  them  had  been  born  here  their  loyalty  and  inter- 
est had  all  the  intensity  and  enthusiasm  of  a  second 
birth. 

-7- 


When  the  town  was  less  than  two  years  old  Mrs.  A. 
M.  Spaulding  its  first  poet  composed  some  verses  in  its 
praise  four  lines  of  which  were  taken  as  a  slogan. 

"Brothers  and  sisters  we  become 

On  touching  Vineland  sod 
Inmates  of  one  expansive  home 

Children  of  one  true  God." 

These  lines  were  quoted  in  addresses,  were  often 
seen  in  the  newspapers,  occasionally  displayed  upon 
banners  at  public  meetings  and  became  almost  a  local 
patriotic  confession  of  faith. 

Among  Vineland's  early  settlers  were  merchants, 
manufacturers,  inventors,  educators,  physicians,  re- 
formers, editors,  financiers,  authors — men  of  affairs — 
who  had  both  failed  and  succeeded  elsewhere  and  who 
had  come  here  to  secure  a  change,  to  gain  health,  to 
retire  or  to  find  congenial  climate  or  to  hustle  for 
success  amidst  new  surroundings.  There  were  men 
and  women  of  talent — musicians,  singers,  artists,  actors 
or  adepts  in  other  professions — accustomed  to  public 
life  and  no  matter  what  the  occasion,  whether  a  school 
meeting,  political  caucus,  farmers  club,  literary  or 
theatrical  entertainment,  it  was  more  like  the  work  of 
leaders  and  professionals  than  amateurs.  The  social 
atmosphere  was  fascinating  and  there  was  an  abund- 
ance of  real  life.  The  ability  to  grasp  opportunities 
was  well  illustrated  in  1868  when  it  was  learned  that  the 
members  of  the  New  Jersey  Editorial  Association  were 
to  pass  through  Vineland  on  their  way  to  the  annual 
convention  at  Cape  May.  They  were  invited  to  stop 
off  at  Vineland;  ninety  seven  carriages  met  them  at  the 
depot;  they  were  conveyed  over  our  town  and  town- 
ship; Cosmopolitan  Hall  was  turned  into  a  banqueting 
room  and  they  were  sumptuously  dined  amidst  a  pro- 
fusion of  flowers  and  250  editors  with  their  wives  left 
our  depot  delighted,  and  the  result  was,  that  for  days 


and  weeks  in  the  colums  of  almost  every  newspaper  in 
New  Jersey,  Philadelphia  and  New  York  could  be 
found  editorials  referring  to  Vineland  with  unstinted 
praise.  What  a  splendid  example  for  modern  Boards 
of  Trade  and  Commercial  Leagues! 

Although  many  of  the  early  farmers  were  new  at 
the  business,  many  were  the  occasions  which  showed 
their  apt  ingenuity.  One  incident  always  seemed  to 
me  to  be  unusually  clever.  Mr.  Landis  for  several 
years  gave  liberal  cash  prizes  for  the  best  specimens  of 
farm  products,  a  leading  prize  one  year  being  fifty 
dollars  in  cash  for  the  largest  Dutchess  pear.  That 
Autumn  Mr.  A.  J.  Hamilton,  of  Oak  Road  and  a 
charter  member  of  this  church,  brought  to  town  an 
immense  overgrown  Dutchess  pear  weighing  twenty- 
two  and  one-half  ounces.  Mr.  Landis  was  delighted, 
paid  the  prize  money,  placed  the  pear  in  a  handsome 
glass  case,  exhibited  it  at  our  local  fair,  then  at  the 
New  York  State  Fair  in  Madison  Square  Garden  and 
at  various  County  Fairs  outside  of  our  State.  To  pro- 
duce this  pear,  Mr.  Hamilton  selected  the  best  tree  in 
his  orchard,  stripped  it  of  all  pears  except  one,  ferti- 
lized and  mulched  and  watered  the  tree  all  summer, 
propped  and  stayed  the  limb  against  storms  and  sus- 
pended the  pear  in  a  woven  sack  to  support  its  weight. 
When  Mr.  Rockefeller,  Jr.  intimated  that  successful 
human  beings,  like  perfect  American  Beauty  roses 
require  that  ninety-nine  be  sacrificed  in  order  that  the 
hundredth  may  reach  its  fullest  perfection  and  beauty 
did  not  know  that  the  idea  was  first  demonstrated  by  a 
member  of  this  church  in  a  Vineland  pear  orchard. 

Had  a  visitor,  during  Vineland's  early  years,  stroll- 
ed among  the  people,  from  Newfield  to  South  Vineland 
he  would  have  met  a  class  of  people  as  various  and 
interesting  as  could  have  been  found  anywhere  in  the 
nation.  Let  us  tonight  in  imagination,  follow  him  on 
such  a  jaunt. 

9 


At  Newfield  would  be  met  a  small  well-clad  gentle- 
man, George  May  Powell — preacher,  traveler,  public- 
ist, statesman,  publisher  of  the  international  Sunday 
School  maps;  whose  speech  was  the  chief  political  doc- 
ument in  the  campaign  of  Lincoln,  President  of  the  first 
Congress  of  Forestry,  first  man  to  propose  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
buildings,  a  chief  originator  of  The  Hague  Peace 
Court,  President  of  the  Peace  Society,  national  temper- 
ance advocate,  writer,  orator  and  Christian  statesman. 

Here  also  lived  Mr.  Job  Ellis,  teacher,  linguist  and 
pioneer  in  the  study  of  vegetable  bacteria,  whose  dis- 
coveries and  writings  are  recognized  the  world  over, 
his  great  work  "North  American  Pyrenomycetes," 
printed  in  Vineland,  costing  him  and  his  devoted  wife 
twenty  years  of  incessant  research  and  labor. 

At  North  Vineland  lived  John  L.  Mason  inventor 
of  the  "Mason  Fruit  Jar,"  which  cost  years  of  experi- 
ment, the  waste  of  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  in 
two  hundred  lawsuits  over  the  patent  and  what  is  too 
often  true  the  final  discouragement  and  poverty  of  the 
inventor,  but  the  jar  revolutionized  the  methods  of  pre- 
serving fruit  and  for  forty  years  has  been  a  household 
necessity  in  almost  every  civilized  home. 

In  Vineland,  at  that  time,  women  took  a  more 
active  part  in  business  and  public  affairs  than  else- 
where The  "Ladies'  Store"  owned  by  Misses  Leavitt 
and  Sherburne  was  for  a  generation  the  leading  dry 
goods  and  variety  business  of  South  Jersey.  Among 
our  most  prominent  women  was  Mrs.  Louise  Cooper 
Bristol — tall,  graceful,  accomplished;  teacher,  orator, 
poet,  essayist,  a  leader  in  modern  thought  and  ideas; 
another,  Miss  Abby  F.  Leavitt,  her  hair  short  and 
groomed  by  a  barber,  but  her  head  long  and  mind 
alert, — merchant,  church  official,  Sunday  School 
Superintendent,  W.  C.  T.  U.  President,  a  champion  of 
women  and  a  leader  of  men;  another,  Mary  E.  Treat, 

-10- 


reclusive  and  quiet, — a  writer  of  books  on  nature, 
insects  and  birds  and  known  as  well  in  Europe  as  in 
her  own  land. 

Never  has  woman  been  more  devoted  and  helpful 
than  during  the  making  of  Vineland.  When  Louis 
Bristol  ran  for  Congress,  Mrs  Bristol  plead  for  his  elec- 
tion from  the  platform,  her  ability  causing  her  to  be 
asked  to  place  General  Butler  in  nomination  for  the 
presidency  at  the  National  Convention  at  Cincinatti 
when  her  eloquence  won  her  national  fame.  During 
the  years  that  J.  B.  Duffy  published  the  VINELAND 
DAILY  NEWS,  Mrs.  Duffy,  with  marked  ability,  wrote 
its  editorials  and  her  other  writings  in  book  form  re- 
ceived wide  circulation.  During  the  years  of  the 
pastorate  of  Rev.  W.  W.  Meech  at  the  South  Vineland 
church  Mrs.  Meech,  herself  an  ordained  minister,  was 
ever  ready  to  occupy  her  husband's  pulpit  and  her  ser- 
mons were  always  both  eloquent  and  practical.  And 
in  merchantile,  and  other  enterprises  it  was  often 
difficult  to  tell  which  was  the  leading  spirit  and  head  of 
the  concern  the  husband  or  the  wife.  Truly  can  it  be 
said  of  the  Vineland  woman  "She  hath  done  what 
she  could." 

On  our  Streets,  in  those  days,  were  occasionally 
seen  women  dressed  in  male  attire  and  Dr.  Mary 
Walker  here  found  congenial  friends  to  visit  and  her 
presence  now  and  then  added  interest  to  our  town. 
These  women  were  ridiculed  in  private  and  in  public 
press  and  Vineland  to  some  extent  shared  the  obliquy. 
But  they  were  all  educated,  and  sincere  and  loyal 
champions  of  a  cause  they  loved  and  they  did  much  to 
gain  for  woman  that  recognition  as  a  political  factor 
which  justice  demands  shall  be  hers.  If  the  male  attire 
or  "bloomers"  infringed  upon  the  rights  of  the  sterner 
sex  it  can  be  said  of  each  of  them  that  what  remained 
woman  was  a  genuine  lady  and  what  turned  man  was 
always  a  gentleman. 

-11- 


On  our  Streets  would  be  seen  an  unusual  number 
of  men  who  had  fought  under  the  flag  from  '61  to  '65 
and  when  peace  returned  married  and  settled  here,  and 
Vineland  never  had  better  or  more  loyal  citizens  than 
the  soldier  citizens  who  during  the  rebellion  bared 
their  lives  that  the  flag  might  live. 

Along  our  streets  would  be  seen  more  retired 
preachers  than  elsewhere.  Vineland  was  known  as 
the  Mecca  of  the  retired  minister.  These  men,  educat- 
ed, and  interested,  and  gifted  with  tongue  and  pen, 
were  always  a  genuine  moral  force  in  our  community 
and  all  of  them  loyal  examples  of  the  perseverance  of 
the  saints. 

He  would  here  meet  three  gentlemen  all  formerly 
teachers  and  college  professors.  One  of  them — Prof. 
D.  O.  Kellogg,  author,  orator,  cyclopedist;  handsome, 
eloquent  and  brilliant;  another,  Prof.  N.  B.  Webster, 
chemist,  scientist  and  cyclopedist  who  had  stored  in  his 
mind  fifty  thousand  dates  as  accurately  as  the  records 
on  the  printed  pages  of  history  and  yet  was  as  con- 
genial and  free  from  pomp  as  a  child;  the  other  Prof. 
Marcius  Willson,  handsome,  well  poised,  faultlessly 
dressed,  a  gentleman  and  a  scholar  par  excellent,  the 
author  of  more  school  books  than  any  other  American, 
about  thirty  altogether  bearing  his  name  and  the  royal- 
ties paid  him  by  Harper  Brothers  alone  being  over  two 
hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dollars. 

On  our  streets  almost  every  day  was  seen  and 
heard  that  ubiquitous  humorist,  poet,  jester  and  punster, 
John  W.  Hum  whose  laugh  was  hearty  and  loud  and 
whose  wit  was  quick  and  keen.  Here  on  Saturday 
afternoons  gathered  the  populace,  men  and  women 
who  had  succeeded  elsewhere  as  merchants,  authors, 
editors,  physicians,  manufacturers  and  political  reform- 
ers and  they  and  their  children  bore  the  stamp  of 
cultured  energy.  Among  the  children  destined  to  be- 

-12- 


come  men  of  influence  were  James  H.  Ingram  now 
medical  missionary  to  China  and  who  is  doing  much 
by  translating  books  to  revolutionize  medical  practice 
in  that  great  nation.  Here  were  seen  two  farmer  boys — 
Ernest  Bagnall,  inventor  and  manufacturer,  of  Cleve- 
land, Ohio,  and  his  brother  Alfred  Bagnall,  a  manufac- 
turing promoter  in  Japan,  whose  home  is  the  finest 
private  residence  built  by  an  alien  in  the  Japanese 
Empire;  Edwin  M.  Ellis,  who  has  organized  hundreds 
of  Sunday  Schools  in  the  far  west;  Henry  W.  Wilbur, 
editor,  author,  preacher,  reformer  and  leader  in  the 
cause  of  peace,  temperance  and  righteousness.  Among 
the  rising  young  men  was  Charles  Keighley,  ambitious, 
determined,  tireless,  laying  the  foundation  of  success 
for  himself  and  making  of  our  town  a  centre  in  the 
manufacture  of  footwear,  which  from  the  day  he 
started  has  been  Vineland's  most  constant  and  reliable 
support. 

At  South  Vineland  were  the  Bidwells  who  turned 
the  sand  beds  into  veritable  mines  of  wealth;  the 
Wheeler  family,  reformers  and  temperance  workers, 
among  them  Frederick  Wheeler  now  a  national 
leader  in  temperance  work;  the  Gillam  family,  all 
of  them  brilliant  of  intellect  and  all  destined  to  rise 
in  the  world;  one  of  them,  M.  M.  Gillam  now  the 
father  of  the  modern  method  of  graphic  advertising  so 
universal  and  which  has  revolutionized  the  methods 
of  doing  business.  Among  the  school  boys  was  D. 
Harry  Chandler,  bright,  quick,  energetic,  who  has 
since  sought  and  found  "Acres  of  Diamonds"  at  home, 
realized  in  the  growth  and  success  of  the  shoe  manu- 
facturing plant  which  has  been  a  substantial  feature  of 
Vineland's  industry  and  enterprise.  Here  lived 
William  A.  Daggett  inventor  of  the  well  known 
folding  clothes  rack  and  of  the  closed  baking  pan, 
improved  forms  of  which  are  now  made  and  sold 
all  over  the  world. 

-13- 


These  are  only  samples  of  the  thousands  who 
flocked  to  Vineland  during  its  early  years,  who  became 
known  as  the  "Vineland  Pioneers,"  and  of  whom  an 
early  poet  said: 

"Through  hardship,  weariness  and  tears, 
We  wrought  the  task  of  pioneers, 
In  '62  some  seventy-five, 
Would  represent  our  little  hive, 
Now  thousands  throng  on  every  hand, 
And  yet  there's  room  and  work  and  land." 
The  question  arises:    What  should  be  expected 
from  a  colony  of  people,  newly  organized,  composed 
of  men  and  women  of  such  exceptional  character,  in- 
tellect, initiative  enterprise  and  devotion  to  the  public 
interest?      Let  us    mention  a  few  things  that  these 
people  gave  to  the  world. 

VINELAND'S 

CONTRIBUTION  TO  TEMPERANCE 
Let  us  begin  with  the  founder  of  Vineland.  It  was 
he  who  decided  that  Vineland  should  be  a  temperance 
community,  free  from  the  dram  shop  with  its  tempta- 
tions and  allurements.  He  not  only  established 
temperance  principles  in  this  community,  but  did 
much  to  teach  the  world  its  advantages.  His  method 
was  "Local  Option."  It  is  true  that  there  were  efforts 
to  secure  local  option  many  years  before  Vineland  was 
started,  but  Mr.  Landis  gave  the  movement  a  new  life. 
After  Vineland  had  become  established,  Mr.  Landis 
wrote  an  address  on  the  subject  of  local  option,  bring- 
ing to  his  aid  the  experience  in  the  town  he  had 
founded,  and  his  observations  in  extensive  travel  and 
study  of  the  subject.  He  delivered  this  address  before 
the  Legislature  of  New  Jersey  at  Trenton,  and  at  that 
time  the  subject  was  so  dense  to  the  people  in  general 
that  he  did  not  think  it  was  wise  to  endeavor  to  get  a 
general  petition,  but  he  went  to  the  State  Penitentiary 

14 


and  got  the  inmates  of  that  institution  to  sign  a  petition 
for  the  law,  and  when  he  delivered  his  address,  he 
held  his  manuscript  in  one  hand,  and  a  petition  signed 
by  the  inmates  of  the  New  Jersey  Penitentiary  in  the 
other,  and  upon  his  return  home  he  had  his  address 
published  and  sent  about  two  thousand  of  them  broad- 
cast over  the  world.  It  was  my  privilege  forty  years 
afterward  to  stand  in  the  same  legislative  hall  and 
plead  before  the  legislature  to  enact  the  same  law, 
showing  the  vitality  of  the  principle  but  the  slow  pace 
of  reform  legislation  in  New  Jersey.  This  address,  no 
doubt,  did  much  to  create  an  interest  and  to  establish 
the  justice  of  such  a  law  to  curtail  the  ravages  of 
strong  drink  through  the  legalized  saloon,  and  while 
various  measures  have  been  adopted  from  that  time 
until  now,  to  accomplish  the  purpose,  it  must  be  ad- 
mitted that  local  option  has  been  one  of  the  most 
effective  measures  to  close  the  doors  of  the  American 
saloon,  and  to-day  more  than  one-half  of  the  popula- 
tion and  more  than  one-half  of  the  territory  of  the 
United  States  are  free  from  the  saloon,  and  local 
option  perhaps,  more  than  any  other  measure  so  far 
advanced,  has  been  the  method  that  has  brought  about 
this  great  and  blessed  reform.  It  can  be  truthfully 
asserted  that  more  citizens  of  our  nation,  including  all 
classes  of  people,  from  the  present  occupant  of  the 
White  House  to  the  humblest  voter,  are  committed  to 
local  option,  than  have  been  committed  to  any  other 
temperance  movement  so  far  proposed.  And  the  first 
systematic  public  address  upon  the  subject  was  written 
on  Landis  avenue  and  two  thousand  printed  copies 
were  mailed  from  the  Vineland  post  office.  For 
many  years  perhaps  more  than  any  other  town  in  the 
nation,  Vineland  was  referred  to  and  held  up  as  a 
practical  demonstration  of  what  temperance  will  do  in 
promoting  the  success  and  well  being  of  a  community. 
May  it  always  deserve  the  reputation  it  has  made. 

-15- 


THE   FIRST  NATIONAL  CAMP   MEETING 

In  1867,  when  Vineland  was  only  six  years  old,  the 
officials  of  the  great  Methodist  church  in  America 
decided  to  hold  what  was  termed  a  Camp  Meeting  of 
national  magnitude  and  importance.  In  looking 
around  for  a  location  Vineland's  reputation  for 
morality  and  temperance  principles  naturally  attracted 
their  attention.  The  result  was  Vineland  was  chosen 
as  the  most  desirable  place  for  the  first  great  "National 
Camp  Meeting"  to  be  held  in  America.  Our  citizens 
made  great  preparation  for  it  and  the  welcome  was 
cordial  and  sincere.  Vineland  Park  was  turned  into  a 
veritable  city  of  canvass.  Great,  mammouth  tents 
were  erected  capable  of  accommodating  from  one 
hundred  to  one  thousand  people.  Wells  were  settled 
to  furnish  water  and  every  convenience  for  a  great 
gathering  was  made.  Our  local  paper,  THE  VINELAND 
WEEKLY,  decided  to  publish  a  daily  edition  and  it  was 
not  only  liberal  but  lavish  in  its  attitude  toward  the 
management.  During  the  time  of  the  camp  meeting 
it  published  fifty-four  special  columns.  Every  sermon 
was  printed  almost  in  full  and  no  event  in  the  history 
of  the  town  ever  received  more  enthusiastic  consider- 
ation from  the  local  populace  than  was  given  this  first 
great  National  Camp  Meeting.  The  attendance  was 
tremendous.  One  hundred  and  thirty-five  ministers, 
including  the  eminent  Bishop  Matthew  Simpson,  were 
in  attendance.  It  was  estimated  that  on  one  or  two 
occasions  the  attendance  numbered  from  twelve  to 
fifteen  thousand.  One  Sunday  morning  over  six 
hundred  vehicles  passed  along  one  road  before  twelve 
o'clock,  all  loaded  with  people  bound  for  the  Camp 
Meeting  in  Vineland  Park. 

Rev.  A.  E.  Ballard,  who  is  at  the  present  time 
President  of  Ocean  Grove,  was  in  charge.  This 
meeting  was  a  great  success  and  all  visitors  went 

-16— 


home  singing  the  praises  of  Vineland.  What  was  the 
result?  Its  success  led  to  the  establishment  in  the 
following  year  of  Ocean  Grove  as  a  permanent 
National  Camp  Meeting  ground,  incorporating  features 
of  government  like  Vineland,  only  perhaps  more  so. 
It  was  found  that  to  make  such  an  institution  a  success, 
permanent  buildings  must  be  erected,  and  the  erection 
of  permanent  buildings  suggested  meetings  of  other 
sorts,  and  soon  the  added  custom  arose  that  when  the 
camp  meeting  had  closed  its  exercises,  to  devote  some 
days  or  weeks  to  matters  outside  of  religion.  Music 
and  art  and  intellectual,  scientific  and  other  subjects 
were  taught  and  promoted.  As  an  outgrowth  of 
Ocean  Grove  other  similar  national  Camp  Meetings 
were  established.  Among  the  most  famous  were  at 
Martha's  Vineyard,  Mass.;  Lakeside,  Ohio;  Bartley, 
Neb.  and  Pacific  Grove  in  California.  The  success  of 
the  special  features  of  these  camp  meetings  caused 
Bishop  Vincent  and  others  to  consider  the  matter  of 
establishing  centers  devoted  to  various  special  subjects, 
and  in  response  to  this  idea,  in  1874,  Bishop  Vincent 
and  Lewis  Miller,  of  Ohio,  founded  the  "Chautauqua" 
in  western  New  York  and  out  of  this  beginning  grew  a 
great  system  of  education  along  neglected  lines,  until 
the  growth  of  the  Chautauqua  movement  has  reached 
almost  every  town  and  community  in  the  United 
States.  Two  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  people  have 
joined  in  its  work  and  more  than  fifty  thousand  have 
graduated  after  a  full  four  years  term  of  study.  The 
Catholic  church  and  the  Jewish  church  both  have 
established  Chautauqua  centers.  The  Chautauqua  idea 
inspired  the  founding  of  a  system  in  which  talent  of  all 
kinds — music,  lectures  and  an  almost  endless  variety  of 
entertainment — was  placed  within  reach  of  almost 
every  platform  and  community.  This  system  has 
revolutionized  the  Lyceum  platform.  The  entire  field 
devoted  to  this  kind  of  work  is  organized  in  our  nation 

-17- 


today.  It  fills  a  place  between  the  school  house  and 
the  church,  and  outside  of  the  church  and  school  it  is 
now  the  greatest  power  in  existence  in  developing 
wholsome  thought  and  progressive  sentiment  in  the 
United  States. 

And  if  we  trace  its  history,  we  find  one  of  its  chief 
beginnings  and  inspirations  in  the  success  of  the  first 
national  Camp  Meeting  held  in  Vineland  Park  forty-six 
years  ago.  And  when  we  recall  the  fact  that  for  more 
than  twenty  years  Vineland  has  annually  maintained 
one  of  the  most  successful  Courses  of  Star  Entertain- 
ments in  the  nation,  it  shows  that  we  have  retained  our 
appreciation  of  moral  and  intellectual  culture  and  that 
Vineland  in  a  signal  and  practical  way  has  profited  by 
the  cultured  zeal  of  its  early  pioneers. 

VINELAND    THE    FOUNDER    OF 
GRAPE   JUICE 

Another  great  movement  to  the  credit  of  Vineland 
is  the  adoption  of  "Unf ermented  Wine"  for  sacramental 
purposes,  and  the  promotion  of  Grape  Juice  as  a  com- 
mercial article.  In  the  spring  of  1869,  when  Vineland 
was  only  eight  years  old,  Dr.  T.  B.  Welch  was  elected 
Recording  Steward  of  the  Vineland  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  He  protested  against  his  election  on  the 
ground  that  he  would  not  provide  fermented  wine  for 
the  communion  service.  He  was  told  that  "he  was 
elected  to  the  office  and  could  furnish  what  he  pleased." 
When  grapes  were  ripe  that  fall,  Dr.  Welch,  helped  by 
his  son,  Dr.  Charles  E.  Welch,  squeezed  grapes  with  his 
hands  and  made  the  first  unfermented  Grape  Juice  of 
modern  times.  It  was  made  and  sold  under  the  name 
of  "Unfermented  Wine"  for  over  twenty  years,  when 
the  name  was  changed  to  "Grape  Juice."  It  then 
appears  that  the  Vineland  First  Methodist  Church  first 
used  Unfermented  Wine  for  communion  purposes. 

-18- 


Dr.  T.  B.  Welch,  Dr.  H.  L.  Tuller,  Mr.  Harrison  Durgin 
and  Captain  Daniel  Tracy  were  all  pioneers  in  promot- 
ing its  use  and  later  Mr.  Frank  A.  Breck,  Mr  Henry 
Raisch,  Mr.  John  Maytrott,  The  Vineland  Grape  Juice 
Company  and  others  have  done  much  to  introduce  its 
use  to  the  public.  Dr.  Welch,  Harrison  Durgin  and 
Captain  Tracy  promoted  its  use  for  sacramental 
purposes,  and  Dr.  Tuller  advocated  it  as  a  medicinal 
and  household  article.  While  all  of  these  men  deserved 
great  credit  for  the  enterprise  they  displayed  in  its 
adoption  by  the  public,  to  Dr.  T.  B.  Welch  and  his  son, 
Dr.  Charles  E.  Welch,  now  known  as  The  Welch 
Grape  Juice  Company,  belong  the  special  credit  of  in- 
troducing Grape  Juice  to  the  world  for  sacramental 
purposes  and  as  an  article  of  commerce.  I  am  in- 
formed that  from  the  small  beginning  in  1869  the 
Welch  Grape  Juice  Company  now  annually  press  over 
fourteen  thousand  tons  of  grapes,  making  an  output  of 
over  two  million  gallons  of  product.  Many  concerns 
now  manufacture  Grape  Juice  and  its  sale  is  enormous. 
At  the  present  time  practically  all  of  the  Protestant 
churches  almost  throughout  the  world  use  the  unfer- 
mented  Grape  Juice  instead  of  fermented  wine.  As  a 
temperance  movement  its  influence  is  beyond  compu- 
tation. The  Grape  Juice  business  will  always  be 
associated  with  Vineland,  as  it  was  for  years  almost  the 
source  for  the  world's  supply,  the  first  gallon  being 
bottled  at  Fourth  and  Plum  Streets.  Vineland  Grape 
Juice  is  now  known  all  over  the  world.  For  years 
Vineland  supplied  not  only  churches  in  every  State  in 
the  union,  but  it  was  sent  from  our  town  to  every 
mission  center  of  the  Methodist  church  throughout  the 
world.  Large  quantities  are  sent  to  South  America, 

NOTE— In  a  recent  Report,  George  E.  Anderson,  Consul  General  at  Hong- 
kong states  that  American  Grape  Juice  is  rapidly  gaining  foothold  in  China,  that 
already  about  $50.000  worth  is  being  annually  distributed,  that  there  is  a  climatic 
demand  for  nonalcoholic  drinks;  that  Grape  Juice  is  being  found  specially  whole- 
some for  women  and  children;  that  alcoholic  drinks  arc  being  less  and  less  used  and 
that  the  market  for  Grape  Juice  is  constantly  increasing  in  the  Empire. 

U.  S.  CONSULAR  TRADE  REPORTS,  MARCH  21,  1914 

—19— 


Australia,  to  Europe,  to  China  and  Japan  and  to  the 
Islands  of  the  sea.  Minister  Wu,  Ambassador  from 
China  to  the  United  States,  became  acquainted  with  the 
virtues  of  Grape  Juice  while  in  America,  and  upon  his 
return  to  China,  he  occasionally  ordered  it  in  quantities 
and  it  was  sent  direct  from  Vineland  to  his  home  in  the 
Chinese  Empire. 

From  every  viewpoint  which  it  is  possible  to  con- 
sider the  subject,  Grape  Juice  is  one  of  the  greatest 
factors  in  promoting  temperance  that  has  yet  been 
devised.  Nothing  so  takes  the  place  and  is  so  well 
calculated  to  become  a  substitute  for  alcoholic  drinks 
as  Grape  Juice,  and  the  time  surely  will  come  when  it 
will  be  almost  as  much  of  a  common  household  article 
as  is  milk  to-day.  Those  who  promoted  its  adoption 
are  to  be  considered  among  the  world's  benefactors. 
For  Vineland  to  become  the  originator  and  promotor 
of  such  an  enterprise  destined  to  so  bless  mankind  the 
world  over,  is  an  honor  worthy  of  the  highest  praise. 

VINELAND'S    PUBLIC   INSTITUTIONS 

Another  achievement  of  Vineland  is  found  in  the 
establishment  and  history  of  its  public  institutions. 
Near  our  town  are  three  public  institutions  with  a 
population  of  over  one  thousand  and  all  of  them  are 
models  in  construction  and  management.  Twenty- 
five  years  ago  the  care  and  training  of  unfortunates, 
either  of  mind  or  body,  was  not  only  crude,  but  the 
whole  subject  was  treated  with  almost  universal  in- 
difference. When  in  1888  Rev.  S.  O.  Garrison  founded 
the  New  Jersey  Training  School  for  Feeble  Minded 
Children,  it  became  the  nucleus  of  what  was  destined 
to  become  in  the  course  of  its  development,  the  center 
of  a  new  era  in  this  line  of  benevolence.  The  Train- 
ing School  in  recent  years  has  developed  a  system  of 
study  and  of  investigation  that  has  attracted  attention 

-20- 


not  only  in  this  country,  but  in  foreign  lands.  There 
is  much  not  only  interesting,  but  closely  related  to  the 
happiness  and  security  of  the  human  race  associated 
with  the  study  of  the  cause  and  prevention  of  mental 
deficiency.  Those  connected  with  our  Training 
School  have  undertaken  to  systematically  study  and, 
if  possible,  to  solve  the  great  questions  which  arise  in 
connection  with  this  subject.  Progress  in  research 
work  by  those  connected  with  the  Training  School  has 
already  made  of  Vineland  a  world  centre  in  the  study 
of  mental  defects.  They  have  so  far  succeeded  that 
they  have  attracted  the  attention  of  students  and 
specialists  in  this  particular  department  throughout 
the  nation.  They  have  also  instituted  a  course  of 
study,  carried  on  during  the  summer  months,  devoted 
to  such  subjects  and  methods  as  have  a  practical  appli- 
cation in  the  education  of  children  in  general  who  are 
backward  in  the  regular  school  studies.  This  field  is 
an  exceptionally  interesting  one  and  invites  increasing 
consideration  along  lines  that  are  eminently  practical 
and  vital.  Already  more  than  three  hundred  teachers 
have  taken  the  prescribed  course  at  the  Training 
School  and  have  gone  out  into  various  parts  of  the 
nation  better  equipped  not  only  to  teach,  but  no 
doubt  impressed  with  the  importance  of  the  subject 
of  mental  conditions.  This  movement  cannot  fail  to 
have  a  permanent  basis  and  will  develop  in  many 
ways,  and  as  people  are  instructed  and  an  intelligent 
sentiment  is  created  regarding  the  desirability  of  im- 
proving the  race,  great  good  will  result  to  mankind  in 
general.  The  study  of  this  subject  has  gone  far  enough 
to  prove  that  the  progressive  thought  of  the  world  in 
the  social,  political,  intellectual  and  medical  fields  will 
become  interested  and  concerned,  and  the  day  is  not 
far  away  when  a  more  correct  knowledge  of  the 
causes  which  lead  to  all  defects  of  mind  will  prevail 
and  the  measures  either  of  legal  enactments  or 

-21- 


education  that  can  best  prevent  their  occurrence  will 
be  utilized  and  the  improvement  of  the  race  will  then 
become  a  living  issue  and  one  of  the  duties  of  the 
patriot  and  of  every  lover  of  his  fellowman. 

FRIENDSHIP    AMONG   RELIGIOUS 
BELIEFS 

In  looking  up  the  achievements  of  Vineland  along 
religious  and  moral  h'nes,  I  have  been  impressed  with 
the  part  that  the  churches  have  taken  and  how  friendly 
they  have  worked  together  in  building  up  not  only  the 
cause  of  the  Master,  but  in  promoting  everything  that 
was  for  the  good  of  the  town  and  community.  When 
the  walls  of  our  church  were  erected  and  the  roof  had 
been  finished,  boards  were  used  in  this  room  for  seats, 
resting  on  nail-kegs,  and  the  good  Presbyterians  of 
those  days  invited  the  Methodists  to  come  in  and  wor- 
ship, and  I  have  been  informed  that  the  Methodists 
helped  buy  the  original  seats  in  this  church,  and  when 
our  church  has  been  undergoing  repairs  we  have  ac- 
cepted invitations  to  worship  in  other  churches. 

While  those  who  came  here  represented  the  widest 
differences  of  religious  faith,  yet  they  lived  in  com- 
parative harmony.  In  Vineland  were  all  kinds  of 
beliefs,  orthodox  and  otherwise,  and  yet  as  we  look 
back  on  its  history  we  find  that  unfriendly  controver- 
sies have  largely  faded  away.  Almost  every  belief 
exists  here  to-day  and  have  houses  of  worship  or 
independent  places  where  they  adhere  to  their  own 
forms  of  ceremony.  This  is  desirable.  Divided  into 
separate  groups  we  no  doubt  live  in  greater  harmony 
and  accomplish  more  good  than  possible  otherwise. 

Vineland  has  occasionally  suffered  from  the  ex- 
aggeration of  those  who  did  not  understand  the 
situation.  The  chief  difference  between  Vineland  and 
other  places  has  been  that  here  every  man  and  woman 

-22- 


s  5 
^ 


*£ 


-  n 
x  i 

Q 

C 


has  felt  free  to  publicly  express  his  or  her  private 
opinions  upon  all  subjects,  including  religion,  and 
where  a  sufficient  number  agreed  upon  any  doctrine 
or  line  of  thought  they  felt  at  liberty  to  organize  and 
hold  religious  meetings  suited  to  their  own  views  and 
tastes  no  matter  how  widely  they  differed  from  the 
prevailing  beliefs  and  more  widely  accepted  forms  of 
worship.  Many  years  ago  the  great  Metropolitan 
papers  seemed  to  delight  in  creating  an  impression 
that  Vineland,  religiously  and  otherwise,  was  different 
from  other  places,  yet  this  might  be  strongly  question- 
ed. I  have  seen  copies  of  these  newspapers  asserting 
that  at  certain  meetings  held  in  Vineland,  doctrines 
were  preached  that  deserved  to  be  criticized,  that 
marriage  vows  were  loosely  held  and  religion  in 
general  was  ridiculed,  yet  these  things  were  circum- 
scribed to  narrow  limits.  It  was  true,  however,  that 
differences  of  opinion  in  religion,  politics  and  other 
matters,  caused  many  a  controversy,  and  there  have 
been  as  many  pop-guns  filled  with  hot  air  to  explode 
in  our  midst  as  in  any  town  in  the  United  States,  yet  it 
can  be  as  truly  said  that  when  there  was  genuine 
reason  for  a  united  effort  on  the  part  of  our  people  to 
crush  some  evil,  no  town  in  the  United  States  could 
summon  heavier  artilliery  and  deal  a  more  crushing 
blow  to  any  invasion  that  threatened  the  welfare  of 
the  community,  than  could  Vineland. 

When  I  came  to  Vineland  thirty  odd  years  ago  I 
received  a  letter  from  a  friend  of  mine  referring  to 
these  things.  My  attention  was  called  to  a  national  con- 
vention, that  had  been  held  in  this  town,  composed  of 
women  with  peculiar  notions  regarding  religion  and 
morals,  at  the  time  styled  "free  thinkers"  and  where 
one  of  the  leaders  more  bold  than  others  made  asser- 
tions regarding  marriage  and  moral  relations  that  were 
considered  grossly  improper.  But  let  me  tell  you  that 
this  same  woman,  born  in  the  rurals  of  Tennessee,  has 

-23— 


experienced  poverty,  obscurity,  notoriety,  fame,  social 
position  and  a  title  as  a  wife  and  widow  of  a  millionaire 
philanthropist  who  was  knighted  by  England's  King. 
And  though  her  life  has  had  many  changes  including  a 
period  of  mazy  religious  belief,  she  is  now  "Lady 
Cook"  of  London  noted  for  her  intelligence,  and 
interest  in  the  poor,  an  earnest  Christian,  a  genuine 
philanthropist  devoting  her  wealth  and  talents  to  uplift 
those  who  are  downtrodden  and  discouraged. 

Many  years  ago  during  a  special  revival  of  religion 
in  this  town,  when  the  churches  were  united,  and  con- 
certed effort  was  made  to  reach  outsiders  and  bring 
them  into  the  fold  of  the  church,  those  who  were 
opposed  to  that  sort  of  thing,  paraded  the  streets,  and  a 
young  lady  riding  on  a  white  horse  led  the  procession 
up  Landis  Avenue.  It  was  looked  upon  by  some  as  a 
defiance  of  that  which  was  sacred  and  holy.  But  let 
me  tell  you  that  this  same  young  lady  came  back  to 
Vineland  years  afterward  a  converted  and  consistent 
Christian,  and  for  years,  in  the  town  in  which  she  has 
lived,  has  been  zealous  in  church  work,  and  I  know  of 
others,  less  conspicuous,  who  have  joined  the  ranks  of 
Christian  workers,  who  in  early  life  sympathized  and  to 
some  measure  took  part  in  activities  that  seemed  to  be 
in  opposition  to  that  which  we  religiously  hold  sacred 
and  dear.  The  prevailing  thought  of  our  people  how- 
ever has  always  been  loyal  to  scriptural  doctrines  and 
the  prevailing  trend  of  effort  has  always  been  toward 
higher  ideals.  Let  us  learn  to  look  upon  the  antago- 
nisms in  the  religious  life  of  Vineland  during  its  history 
as  rather  a  virtue  than  an  evil.  There  has  always  been 
not  only  an  earnestness,  but  a  joy  and  a  hearty 
enthusiasm  in  the  moral  and  religious  activities  of 
Vineland. 

The  churches,  taken  as  a  whole,  have  always  been 
willing  to  join  hands  with  every  good  work,  and  in 

-24- 


few  towns  have  the  various  religious  elements  lived  in 
greater  harmony.  Our  church  bells  on  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, ring  in  unison  and  the  musical  tones  of  the 
Episcopal  church  chimes  are  a  delight  to  all. 

I  \vas  impressed  sometime  back  in  reading  a 
notice  of  our  Methodist  friends  during  Vineland's  early 
history.  In  those  days  they  had  plenty  of  room,  plenty 
of  ground  outside,  and  then-  advertisement  of  a  church 
fair  ran  thus: 

"To  our  citizens: 

FAIR,  AT  METHODIST  CHAPEL.  Bring 
anything  worthy  of  a  show.  Fruits,  vegetables, 
live  stock,  tools,  driving  horses,  cows,  etc.  Let 
Vineland  fairly  represent  itself.  Ladies  are 
especially  expected  to  show  flowers,  fancy  work, 
specimens,  etc.  No  danger  of  crowding.  Come 
all.  Whatever  you  bring  you  will  get  a  prize  or 
receive  honorable  mention." 

Our  Presbyterian  church  sometime  afterward,  not 
to  be  outdone,  held  a  fair  and  it  offered  as  a  prize — "A 
New  Bonnet" — to  the  pastor's  wife,  including  all  the 
churches  of  the  town,  who  received  the  most  votes  for 
her  popularity.  The  object  of  the  fair  was  to  raise 
money  to  finish  the  top  of  the  tower  of  the  Presby- 
terian church.  I  do  not  know  what  pastor's  wife  won 
the  bonnet,  but  they  made  enough  money  to  finish 
the  church  tower.  Whether  the  four  peaked  top  of 
the  tower  was  patterned  after  the  bonnet  or  not,  was 
not  stated.  But  these  events  show  that  in  those 
pioneer  days  when  churches  needed  money,  they  used 
means  at  hand  to  get  it. 

Our  churches  have  been  holding  Union  Thanks- 
giving services  since  the  beginning  of  the  town.  One 
of  the  first  was  held  in  this  church.  We  are  informed 
that  the  church  was  crowded,  although  a  rainy  day. 
In  those  days  they  knew  better  perhaps  than  we  know 
now  how  to  get  a  crowd  out  Thanksgiving  Day. 

-25— 


Pastor  Wells  was  the  speaker  and  on  that  Thanks- 
giving morning  when  the  congregation  had  assembled, 
a  young  man  came  up  one  of  these  aisles  with  a  young 
lady  leaning  on  his  arm.  They  stood  in  front  of  this 
altar  and  were  united  in  marriage,  and  after  receiving 
that  famous  kiss,  given  to  all  young  brides  by  Pastor 
Wells,  they  went  out  man  and  wife.  I  say  this  for  the 
benefit  of  the  young  men  and  women  present,  because 
our  handsome  new  church  when  completed,  will 
afford  a  delightful  environment  for  the  marriage 
ceremony. 

This  church  was  first  organized  July  7,  1863,  with 
twenty-nine  members.  The  first  sermon  preached  in 
Vineland  was  by  Rev.  Mr.  McConnaughay,  pastor  of 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Millville,  the  services 
being  held  in  Mr.  Mabbitt's  barn,  then  located  at  the 
corner  of  Landis  avenue  and  Myrtle  street.  The  first 
communion  service  was  held  in  a  school  house  where 
the  Grove  House  now  stands,  and  was  conducted  by 
the  Presbyterians,  with  sixty  participating.  This 
church  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  Ezra  Eastman  Adams, 
who  had  been  Professor  of  Theology  in  Lincoln 
University,  and  Editor  of  "The  Presbyterian"  of 
Philadelphia. 

Rev.  Samuel  Loomis,  the  first  pastor,  was  installed 
July  7,  1863. 

Rev.  John  O.  Wells,  was  installed  April  19,  1866. 

Rev.  D.  H.  King,  January  1,  1817. 

Rev.  J.  Russell  Verbrycke,  November  3,  1912. 

While  the  church  has  been  in  existence  fifty  years, 
it  has  been  served  by  only  four  pastors.  All  of  these 
pastors  have  been  able,  earnest,  Christian  men,  and  be- 
loved by  the  people  they  served. 

Mention  should  be  made  of  the  career  of  Miss 
Abbie  F.  Leavitt  as  a  member  of  this  church.  She 

-26- 


—     7 

25  X 


served  as  a  Sunday  School  Superintendent  for  seven- 
teen years,  was  a  Trustee  and  Treasurer  for  many 
years.  She  was  active,  aggressive  and  especially 
devoted  to  the  cause  of  temperance.  She  was 
President  of  the  local  and  county  W.  C.  T.  U.,  and 
during  her  administration  in  our  community  the  cause 
of  temperance  was  a  live  one.  For  many  years  union 
temperance  services  were  held  in  rotation  in  the 
various  churches,  one  Sunday  evening  every  three 
months.  Temperance  meetings  were  held  in  the  W. 
C.  T.  U.  hall  every  Sunday  afternoon  for  many  years. 
A  temperance  Sunday  School  was  carried  on  in  con- 
nection with  these  meetings,  and  during  these  years 
Vineland  was  visited  by  nearly  all  the  leading  temper- 
ance workers  of  the  nation.  The  first  Order  of  Good 
Templars  in  the  state  was  established  in  Vineland. 
Among  those  who  have  visited  Vineland  and  delivered 
addresses  upon  the  subject  of  temperance  are  John  G. 
Woolley,  Clinton  B.  Fisk  and  Governor  John  P.  St. 
John,  all  presidential  candidates,  Francis  Willard, 
Neal  Dow,  Mary  Lathrop,  J.  Ellen  Foster.  Dr.  Anna 
Shaw,  Francis  Murphy,  Clinton  Howard,  Col.  George 
W.  Bain,  Dr.  C.  H.  Meade,  Helen  Gouger,  and 
George  Scott,  a  number  of  whom  have  been  here 
several  times. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  D.  H.  King,  D.  D., 
our  church  enjoyed  unusual  prosperity  and  he  display- 
ed great  energy  and  earnestness.  Dr  King  can  well 
claim  to  be  the  founder  of  "OLD  FOLKS'  DAY"  now 
so  well  known  and  adopted  by  many  churches 
throughout  the  country.  While  isolated  services  had 
occasionally  been  held  of  special  interest  to  the  aged, 
Dr.  King's  enthusiasm  and  interest  in  old  people  made 
the  celebration  popular  for  which  he  deserves  special 
credit.  Old  Folks'  Day  has  been  observed  in  this 
church  on  the  second  Sunday  of  September  annually 

-27- 


for  twenty  years  and  has  been  heartily  appreciated  by 
the  old  people  of  this  community. 

Dr.  King  during  his  ministry,  made  over  sixteen 
thousand  pastoral  calls,  carrying  sunshine  and  en- 
couragement into  the  homes  of  his  parishioners.  He 
received  into  this  church  nine  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  members.  He  performed  four  hundred  and 
twenty-seven  marriage  ceremonies  and  what  a  delight- 
ful vision  this  must  be  to  his  memory.  What  a  con- 
noisseur of  bridal  flowers!  What  a  splendid  judge  of 
wedding  cake!  He  also  conducted  six  hundred  and 
sixty-five  funerals.  This  would  be  a  funeral  every 
day  for  nearly  two  years.  To  stand  beside  so  many 
coffins  and  speak  words  of  consolation  to  those  who 
are  bereaved,  and  offer  the  assurances  of  the  gospel 
surely  entitles  a  man  to  a  special  reward  in  the  home 
of  the  blessed. 

POETRY.    LITERATURE   AND    CULTURE 

Poetry  and  Literature  have  been  indigenous  to 
Vineland  since  its  birth.  Our  town  is  greatly  indebted 
to  those  who  are  inspired  by  the  Muse.  I  was  sur- 
prised at  finding  eight  volumes  of  poetry  in  the 
Historical  Society  written  by  Vinelanders.  These 
poets  have  done  much  to  keep  Vineland's  popularity 
and  progress  on  the  crest  of  the  wave  and  to  combat 
those  who  have  been  disposed  to  criticise  and  belittle. 

"Friends,  come  and  see — nor  stay  and  cry, 
'Utopian,'  'a  sell,'  'a  lie,' 
Once  here  you'll  find  like  one  of  old, 
That  the  attractions  have  not  been  told, 
While  through  each  coming  golden  year, 
Your  Vineland  home  shall  be  more  dear." 

Nearly  every  public  event  in  the  early  history  of 
the  town  was  accorded  the  recital  of  a  poem  special 

-28- 


for  the  occasion.  The  first  newspaper  published  con- 
tained an  original  poem;  most  of  the  issues  for  years 
contained  original  verses,  many  of  them  singing  the 
praises  of  Vineland.  I  have  known  most  of  these 
poets,  and  their  acquaintance  has  been  a  pleasure  and 
a  profit.  They  have  loved  Vineland  and  its  people 
and  their  efforts  were  to  make  happiness  and  sunshine 
attend  the  struggles  and  sorrows  of  life's  experiences. 

Dr.  King  is  to  be  numbered  among  Vineland's 
recognized  poets.  He  has  enshrined  in  verse  the 
sentiments  of  many  occasions  and  at  his  anniversary 
every  year  we  have  sung  together  a  hymn  of  his  com- 
posing. This  has  added  an  interest  and  a  charm  to 
the  recurring  exercise  as  the  years  went  by. 

We  also  have  in  our  membership  Mrs.  Carrie 
Ellis  Breck,  who  has  written  over  twelve  hundred 
hymns  and  over  two  hundred  other  poems  and  articles 
for  papers  and  magazines.  Many  of  her  hymns  have 
won  a  national  reputation.  One  of  them  has  been  a 
favorite  for  years  wherever  Christian  people  have 
gathered  and  raised  their  voices  in  song  and  praise. 
I  refer  to  that  beautiful  hymn,  "FACE  TO  FACE." 

Face  to  face  with  Christ  my  Saviour, 
Face  to  face — what  will  it  be? 

When  with  rapture  I  behold  him, 
Jesus  Christ  who  died  for  me- 

Face  to  face  shall  I  behold  him, 

Far  beyond  the  starry  sky; 
Face  to  face  in  all  his  glory, 

I  shall  see  him  by  and  by! 

•    *    •    *    • 

This  hymn  written  by  Mrs.  Breck,  was  first  sung 
years  ago  by  the  evangelist  Grant  Tuller  in  front  of 
this  pulpit,  and  is  now  found  in  most  of  the  modern 
collections  of  sacred  songs. 

-29- 


Work  of  this  kind  and  the  recognition  it  has 
received  surely  is  a  compliment  to  our  community 
and  is  worthy  of  being  considered  as  one  of 
Vineland's  honored  achievements.  May  Vineland's 
poets  long  live  and  others  be  born,  because  we  know 
that  so  long  as  they  do,  it  can  be  said  that: 

"The  very  name  of  Vineland  charms, 

The  weary  ones  elsewhere, 

The  beauty  of  its  meaning  warms 

Desires  to  breathe  its  air. 

The  land  of  fruit,  the  land  of  spring, 

Land  neath  a  favored  sky, 

Land  where  the  strange  bird's  weary  wing 

May  fold,  no  more  to  fly. 

Land  of  adoption  swift  to  come, 

Fair  clime,  vines  and  flowers, 

Clime  that  affords  the  heart  a  home, 

A  sunny  clime  now  ours." 

General  literature,  as  well  as  poetry,  has  also  been 
native  to  Vineland.  One  hundred  and  four  books  are 
to-day  in  the  Historical  Society  written  by  Vinelanders. 
This  is  a  surprising  number,  and  few  towns  the  size 
of  ours  in  this  nation  can  claim  as  much.  About  forty 
of  these  books  were  written  by  men  and  women  who 
have  worshipped  in  this  church.  Not  only  has  litera- 
ture been  produced  and  flourished  here,  but  men  and 
women  devoted  to  patriotic  and  progressive  measures, 
have  visited  Vineland  and  delivered  addresses  to  a 
greater  extent  perhaps  than  any  other  town  in  the 
nation. 

Vineland  people  have  always  been  awake  and 
willing  to  listen  and  learn.  A  square  deal  has  awaited 
every  question  and  every  vital  issue.  Nowhere  has 
woman's  voice  or  woman's  cause  received  a  more  cor- 
dial welcome.  When  Vineland  was  only  nine  years 
old,  the  county  elected  one  of  our  citizens  to  the  state 

— ao— 


Legislature.  He  carried  with  him  a  liberally  signed 
petition  to  change  the  state  constitution  in  favor  of 
equal  suffrage.  "Women's  Rights"  which  meant 
woman  suffrage,  was  as  familiar  a  term  and  as  much 
favored  in  Vineland  forty  }^ears  ago  as  is  "Votes  for 
Women"  in  the  average  town  to-day.  Vineland  has 
never  been  a  laggard  but  a  leader  and  always  among 
the  first  to  make  new  footprints  forming  the  aggres- 
sive and  advancing  pathway  of  progress. 

One  of  the  first  great  orators  to  come  to  Vineland 
was  the  giant  reformer,  Wendell  Phillips,  who  oc- 
cupied this  pulpit.  And  from  that  time  until  now 
reformers,  patriots,  temperance  workers,  men  with  a 
message  who  loved  mankind  and  had  special  powers 
to  lead  in  world  movements,  have  delighted  in  visiting 
Vineland  and  addressing  our  people,  always  going 
away  convinced  that  here  the  popular  mind  and  popu- 
lar heart  were  in  full  accord  with  the  onward  march 
of  progress  and  civilization.  Among  those  with  a 
national  reputation,  who  have  addressed  Vineland 
audiences  are  the  following:  Woodrow  Wilson, 
Theodore  Roosevelt,  President  Taft,  President  Grant, 
Vice  President  Colfax,  Grace  Greenwood,  Mary 
Livermore,  Susan  B.  Anthony,  Elizabeth  Cady  Stanton, 
Julia  Ward  Howe,  D wight  Hillis,  Theodore  Tilton, 
Governor  Hadley,  Henry  George,  James  G.  Elaine, 
Horace  Greely,  Fred  Douglas,  Bishop  McCabe,  John 
Temple  Graves,  Thomas  Dixon,  Frank  Dixon,  Hon. 
George  R.  Wendling,  Russell  H.  Con  well,  J.  Irving 
Handy,  Gen'l  George  B.  Gordon,  Dr.  Harvey  Wiley, 
Josh  Billings,  Bill  Nye,  Robert  Colyer,  Judge  Lindsay, 
Joseph  Fels,  Frank  Gunsaulus  and  a  host  of  others. 

PHILANTHROPY 

Our  church  has  also  made  a  name  for  itself  in  the 
cause  of  philanthropy.  One  of  our  officials,  Mr.  B.  D. 

-31- 


Maxham,  in  his  will,  left  $100,000  to  the  Training: 
School.  Dr.  R.  B.  Moore,  during  his  residence  in 
Vineland,  I  have  been  credibly  informed,  gave  per- 
haps nearly  as  much  to  the  cause  of  benevolence, 
education  and  religion.  Mrs.  Leake  and  others  have 
done  their  part  and  I  think  it  is  within  reasonable 
bounds  to  state  that  during  the  history  of  this  church 
outside  of  what  was  given  to  various  church  Boards 
that  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars  have 
been  given  to  various  causes  by  those  who  worshipped 
here. 

Our  people  in  general  have  always  been  devoted 
to  benevolence.  In  the  founding  and  development  of 
our  public  institutions  they  have  done  much  to  pro- 
mote their  growth  and  insure  their  success.  And  in 
the  broader  field  of  patriotism  and  philanthropy 
Vineland  has  always  shown  a  spirit  of  loyalty  and 
liberality  worthy  of  the  highest  praise. 

Special  mention  should  be  made  of  Dr.  Moore's 
gift  of  the  Italian  Mission  church  and  parsonage  locat- 
ed in  this  town,  both  of  which  he  built  at  his  own  ex- 
pense. This  mission  has  become  a  most  worthy  and 
successful  field  of  Christian  work.  It  is  under  the 
management  of  the  Presbyterian  Board.  A  flourishing 
Sunday  School  is  maintained  in  connection  with  the 
church  and  the  work  is  increasingly  appreciated  by 
those  it  is  intended  to  reach.  This  church  and  the 
work  connected  with  it  is  worthy  of  full  confidence 
and  support. 

A  COLONIZING  SPIRIT 

The  early  settlers  of  Vineland  gave  to  the  world  a 
practical  lesson  in  city  building.  By  adopting  the 
system  of  small  sized  farms  they  developed  a  new  era 
in  the  growing  of  fruits  and  produce.  The  new  colony 
they  helped  to  found  and  make  successful  has  had  a 


wide  and  important  influence. 

As  nature  had  given  this  region  only  limited  ad- 
vantages, the  settlers  employed  artificial  methods  to 
meet  the  occasion.  Our  wide  avenues  and  streets, 
ample  sidewalks,  beautiful  shade  trees,  uniform  build- 
ing line,  extensive  advertising,  under  the  magic  power 
of  brains  and  industry  and  sobriety,  made  this  a  model 
community.  Vineland's  success  and  growth  establish- 
ed the  success  and  growth  of  the  colonizing  spirit. 
This  colonizing  spirit  has  shown  its  power  and  influ- 
ence not  only  throughout  South  Jersey,  but  beyond  the 
borders  of  the  state.  The  same  brains  that  founded 
and  established  Vineland  founded  Hammonton,  Rosen- 
hayn  and  Sea  Isle  City.  Out  from  Vineland  went  the 
founders  of  Holly  Beach,  Wildwood  and  Wildwood 
Crest,  all  of  them  splendid  examples  of  constructive 
thought  and  enterprise.  Wherever  Vinelanders  have 
migrated,  whether  to  Florida  or  California,  they  have 
carried  with  them  the  cohesive  and  constructive 
qualities  of  genuine  home  and  community  builders. 

Vineland's  colonizing  spirit  was  early  recognized 
across  the  sea.  Italian  immigrants  have  been  coming 
to  Vineland  almost  from  the  beginning,  and  they  have 
taken  a  foremost  rank  in  developing  and  improving 
our  land,  establishing  homes  and  promoting  every 
form  of  enterprise  by  their  industry,  frugal  habits  and 
thrift. 

It  is  estimated  that  at  present  there  are  over  three 
thousand  Italians  living  within  a  trading  radius  of 
Vineland  and  they  constitute  an  important  factor  in 
every  department  of  progressive  activity. 

When  the  Hebrew  exodus  from  Russia  took  place 
in  1882,  one  of  their  chief  colonies  was  founded  in  the 
vicinity  of  Vineland.  This  early  settlement  has  been 
constantly  growing  and  while  the  Jews  have  been 
successful  at  farming,  their  aptitude  for  business  and 

-33- 


manufacturing  enterprise  has  been  increasingly  mark- 
ed. Their  business  acumen  is  a  challenge  to  every 
form  of  rival  and  in  our  community  they  are  main- 
taining the  same  spirit  of  thrift  which  history  all 
through  the  ages  has  recorded  in  their  favor.  The 
Hebrews  have  shown  their  urban  tendencies  by  found- 
ing villages  and  towns  as  centres  of  their  population. 
Among  these  are  Alliance,  Norma,  Brotmanville  and 
the  modern  development  of  Rosenhayn.  Much  of  the 
business  and  manufacturing  in  our  town  is  conducted 
by  the  Hebrews  and  they  keep  in  touch  with  the 
enterprise  of  our  larger  cities  and  many  of  them  are 
affiliated  with  well  known  establishments  of  Philadel- 
phia and  New  York.  About  three  thousand  Hebrews 
are  located  in  this  section,  and  their  numbers  and 
influence  are  constantly  on  the  increase. 

I  have  been  informed  that  an  average  of  three 
hundred  letters  per  week  are  sent  from  Vineland  to 
Europe,  chiefly  written  either  in  Italian  and  bound  for 
Italy  or  written  in  Hebrew  and  addressed  to  Russia. 
When  we  add  the  additional  fact  that  more  than  one 
thousand  persons  get  on  and  off  the  trains  at  our 
depots  every  day  in  the  year,  we  realize  that  Vineland 
is  in  constant  and  vital  touch  with  the  outside  world. 

CONCLUSION 

It  can  well  be  claimed  that  few  towns  of 
Vineland's  size  are  better  known  in  America  or  Europe. 
We  are  as  a  city  set  upon  a  hill.  Vineland's  influence 
covers  a  realm  upon  which  the  sun  never  sets.  Let  us 
realize  that  whatever  we  do  to  establish  the  cause  of 
religion  or  promote  the  principles  of  truth  and  morali- 
ty, is  of  wide  and  vital  significance. 

Let  us  feel  that  the  moral  and  religious  history  of 
Vineland's  first  half  century  is  secure.  The  men  and 
women  who  settled  this  wilderness  and  built  the 

-34- 


churches  and  school  houses  and  made  it  the  success 
that  it  is,  have  mostly  gone  to  their  reward.  Vineland 
is  their  monument.  To  possess  a  heritage  so  associat- 
ed with  noble  efforts  and  high  achievements  is  our 
good  fortune.  As  we  look  about  us  we  are  proud  of 
what  we  see. 

Four  thousand  homes 

From  a  wilderness  grown, 

Beautiful  Vineland 

Everywhere  known. 

And  to-night  as  we  stand  between  the  Vineland  of 
the  past  and  the  Vineland  of  the  future,  may  we  re- 
solve that  by  the  practice  of  morality,  of  industry,  of 
patriotism,  of  religion  and  of  civic  devotion,  we  will 
transmit  unimpaired  this  garden  spot  of  New  Jersey 
to  those  who  shall  take  our  places  in  the  years  that  are 
to  come. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


Form  L9-25m-9,'47(A5613)444 


THE  LIBRARY 


7     Convvell   - 
Religious 
forces* 


F144 
V75C7 


